The Confrontation
by Jenny wrens
Summary: This is a little one-shot continuation from my story Teenage Mutiny. Lucas is on shore leave with Captain Bridger, and he steals the Stinger to go to the mainland to confront his father who is speaking at a conference. Rated T for mild language. Father/Son relationship between Bridger/Lucas.
_**A/N-This is just a little one-shot continuation of Teenage Mutiny.**_

 **Jayson Pickering's House, Florida.**

Lucas caught the bottle of beer in midair and twisted the cap open, taking a long drink. He looked up at his friend, Jayson Pickering, grateful to have a place to sort out his thoughts.

"Thanks."

"No prob. Uh, dude, I thought you didn't drink," said the dark-haired teen, looking skeptical as he plopped onto the chair across from his friend.

"Just around girls, Jay. You know, when I need to keep my wits about me? Something I strongly suggest you keep in mind the next time you're with Roberta." Lucas watched as Jayson rolled his eyes at the mention of the girl's name. It was obvious his friend still had a bad taste in his mouth from the last time Roberta and he had been together. "Besides, I live on a military vessel; you don't think I haven't been to a bar or two on shore leave?"

Jayson smirk knowingly. "What Bridger doesn't know, doesn't hurt him?" Lucas rolled his eyes as Jayson had his poke-fun-at-Captain Bridger moment.

"Finished yet?" groaned Lucas, fiddling with the bottle in his hands.

Jayson popped some peanuts into his mouth with a chuckle. "So, how did you escape that underwater prison, anyways?"

"Shore leave. Things got a little crazy so the Admiral gave us some leave."

"Uh, yah, about that, I'm really sorry, Lucas," interrupted Jayson, remorse riddling his face. "I didn't know…"

Lucas waved a hand. "Forget it, Jay. A whole lot more went down after you left, more than you'll ever know. You know, classified and all that." Lucas saw his friend nod silently. Jayson already was used to Lucas' cryptic answers surrounding details on SeaQuest. Sometimes Lucas told Jayson more than he should, but this time Lucas just wanted to forget everything. Lucas took another drink, resting his head on the back of sofa. He looked around at his friend's living room. The house reminded him a lot of his own house where he grew up. It was meticulously decorated and reeked of affluence, but ridiculously empty of anything genuine or authentic. "Let me guess, your parents are off to some important, world-changing conference?"

Jayson shrugged. "No clue. Haven't heard from them since Bridger called them and ratted me out."

"No comment," replied Lucas, staring at the bottle and picking at the label absentmindedly.

"So, Bridger's just letting you roam around on your own on Shore leave?"

Lucas shook his head with a pathetic laugh. "Uh, yah, I don't think so. I came on my own; he doesn't know I'm here. We've been on his island for the past week, and I might have taken the Stinger for a little tour without Captain Bridger knowing."

Jayson whistled. "I'm impressed, Lucas; you do have some backbone! Bridger will have your hide tossed into the brig." Jayson was quiet a moment, seemingly lost in his own thoughts and then grabbed another hand of peanuts off the coffee table. "You're welcome to crash here for as long as you want. My ole man won't be home anytime soon."

"Thanks, I'll probably head back tomorrow. Just need to do a little something first."

Jayson looked up, intrigued. "Lucas, what's up? I haven't seen you this down in a long time."

Lucas sighed. "I'm working up the courage to go talk to my dad." He took another long drink, emptying the bottle and holding it up. "Got another?"

Lucas saw Jayson look at him strangely then nod, rise to his feet and walk from the room. He returned with another bottle and handed it to Lucas. Lucas twisted it open and flicked the lid across the room with a groan. He put the bottle to his lips, starting to feel a little buzz. He was hoping he would get drunk and block out some of the emotions he was feeling. Lucas could feel Jayson staring at him with concern.

"Slow down, Wolenczak, you're a light weight, remember? Ok, spill it, dude. What gives?" Lucas looked at his friend and shook his head. As much as he liked Jayson, he knew his friend wouldn't ever understand his thoughts this time. Hell, Lucas didn't even understand his own thoughts. He felt like he was just being a selfish, reckless idiot, but he needed to confront his dad.

"Well, it seems that Captain Bridger is my legal guardian now," murmured Lucas in a monotone voice, continuing to empty the new bottle in his hand. "My parent's lawyers drew up the paperwork, and Bridger signed them." Lucas looked up to see his friend's jaw drop and remain quiet. "I need to talk to my dad."

"Uh, yah, I can imagine. Wow, that's heavy, Lucas. So, uh, what exactly does that mean for you anyways?"

"It means I'm 15, and I have no damned say in the matter."

Jayson puffed out his cheeks slowly. "Damn."

 **Bridger's Island**

Nathan was worried. He glanced at the clock on the wall as he began to pace nervously. It was well past 7pm now. Lucas had left earlier that morning to go snorkeling and swimming with Darwin. Nathan hadn't given much thought to it when Lucas hadn't shown up for lunch as it was typical for the kid to lose track of time and skip meals. Sometimes Nathan felt like the boy's head was wired differently from most teenagers who never stopped thinking about food. Sighing, Nathan headed up the stairs of his home on Bridger's Island and found himself in Lucas' room. He hated to be a snoop, but he was hoping to find something to let him know what the teenager was thinking. They had been on shore leave for a week now, and Lucas had remained quiet and reserved. Nathan had hoped to have a heart to heart with Lucas, but conversation always seemed to stay light. Nathan looked around Lucas' room curiously. He smiled at the sleeping kitten on the bed. The small, orange tabby cat had stolen his heart as much as Lucas.' He hadn't even known he was a cat person until the little beast came into their lives. It turned out that the kitten was good for both of them.

Nathan sat on the bed and stroked the kitten as he thought about the past few days. Lucas had been unusually quiet and sullen. He had spent a lot of time in his room since they returned from the mainland. Lucas had met with Eric Petersen, his counsellor, and had left the meeting in a very sour mood. Nathan knew the teen had been dealing with a lot since he had been so horrifically abused on Abalon. Plus, Lucas was still reeling over Nathan signing guardianship papers for him. It was obvious that Lucas was still angry about the whole thing, but he'd just stopped talking. Nathan had come to realise that in one sense, Lucas was just doing what he'd always done. He was taking care of himself. He was used to being his own person and doing whatever he felt like doing. Since coming to SeaQuest, Lucas had had to learn about discipline, following orders and chain of command. In essence, he was learning how to be a kid. Nathan wasn't sure Lucas liked or enjoyed all the parental interference that SeaQuest brought into his life.

Nathan stood up and walked to the window, staring outside. It seemed like things were stirring up into a battle of wills. Nathan was going to need to put his foot down, and he was pretty sure Lucas wasn't going to like it. They desperately needed to have a tough discussion about rules and accountability. A loud ringing captured Nathan's attention as he was snapped out his thoughts. He strode across the room and answered the phone.

"Bridger."

"Hello, Captain," said a voice that Nathan recognised to be Jonathan Ford's, his first in command aboard SeaQuest.

"Hi, Jonathan. Enjoying your time off?"

"I am, thanks. Been having a great time catching some rays and spending time with my sister and her kids." Nathan heard Jonathan pause as the sound of his voice muffled, apparently talking to someone with him. "Captain, I just wanted to mention that I saw the Stinger docked…" Nathan muttered a few choice words as Jonathan hesitated a moment. He quickly stood up and hurried down the stairs into the kitchen to see the Stinger keys missing.

"Damn it," muttered Nathan, running an annoyed hand through his hair.

"When I saw the Stinger, I had a feeling you'd want to know."

"Thanks, Jonathan. Lucas' been gone all day, and it didn't occur to me that he would've gone off the Island."

"Is everything okay, Captain?"

Nathan heard himself sigh deeply. "I don't know. He's still aloof and distant."

"Give it some time, Captain. It's a lot for the kid to digest. I do have to run here as I have my nieces with me, but, uh, do you want me to keep an eye out for Lucas? He's probably just hanging out with one of his friends around here."

"That's alright, Jon. I can handle it, thanks."

As Nathan hung up the phone, he felt his temper build along with concern. Something was stirring inside Lucas, and he needed to get to bottom of it. The teenager was becoming unpredictable, and Nathan didn't like that he couldn't trust the kid. Nathan walked out onto his screened in deck and dialed Lucas' cell number. The phone rang several times before it was answered.

"Hello?" came a gruff reply.

"Lucas, where the hell are you?" Nathan was greeted with silence. "Lucas?"

"I'm at Jayson's, Captain. I'm sorry; I should have left a note or something. I just needed to get away for a while. I'll be home tomorrow." Nathan heard Lucas slur his words slightly, and he furrowed his brows in concern.

"Lucas, have you been drinking?" Nathan heard the teenager sigh and groan.

"I've just had a few beers, Captain. I'm not planning on going anywhere, so it's no big deal."

Nathan closed his eyes, silently counting to ten to keep his temper in check. "It is a big deal when you're underage, Lucas. Why'd you leave?"

"I need to talk to my dad, Captain."

Nathan felt his heart pinch. "Oh, Lucas, why didn't you just ask me? I could have taken you…"

"No, damn it. I need to do this on my own!" shouted Lucas. Nathan could hear the hurt masked in the anger.

"Is this something you and Eric discussed, Lucas?"

"No. Look, just chill, alright? Enjoy your night without the annoying teenager hanging around to drag you down. I'll call you tomorrow." Nathan heard the phone line go dead. He drummed his fingers on the kitchen table in annoyance and concern. It was going to be one hell of a long night if he stayed. Nathan looked around the room, grabbed the keys to the launch and left.

 **Jayson Pickering's house**

Several hours had passed since Lucas turned his phone off and let it drop into his lap with an annoyed groan after speaking to Captain Bridger. He'd drunk several more beers and was feeling more relaxed then when he'd arrived. He pondered over how well he'd come to know Captain Bridger over the past five months. Lucas was well aware that the man wasn't going to be content to sit around idly and wait for him to come back. No, it was more likely that he was going to show up on Jayson's front doorstep.

"I'm dead," murmured Lucas again for the fourth time since he'd hung up his phone, leaning his head back against the sofa while Jayson stared at him.

"Ole daddy Bridger is coming, and he's gonna be pissed your drunk."

Lucas shot a glare at Jayson. "Shut-up, Jay. Gawd, you're not helping."

"Why'd you even answer the stupid phone and tell him where you are?"

Lucas attempted to stand up to his feet but sat down again. The room was spinning. Jayson had pretty much nailed it earlier when he said he was a light weight when it came to drinking. He'd lost count of how many drinks he'd consumed and was beginning to not care about much of anything. The thing was he was hoping to get drop dead drunk and sleep. He was tired of thinking and feeling so horrible inside. His sleep was almost always disturbed by some kind of nightmare.

"Get me another beer, would ya?" Lucas saw Jayson hesitate and then leave the room for a few more drinks. Lucas took another beer and opened it. "I answered the damned thing because it was the honourable thing to do. I don't exactly hate the man, Jay. He's doing me a favour."

Jayson opened his own beer and took a long pull. "Think your ole man will even see you, Lucas? Isn't he like incredibly busy trying to get the world power online?"

"I know he's attending a conference close by."

"How do you know that?"

"Hacker's code, man. Stupid question," retorted Lucas, feeling irritated.

Jayson rolled his eyes. "I don't know why you bother. Complete waste of your time. Your ole man doesn't care what you think. He's just glad to be rid of the responsibility. "

Lucas sighed and closed his eyes as he pondered his friend's words. "Jay, do you ever wonder what it would be like to just be a normal kid? You know, hanging out with friends, going to high school, having crushes on girls…the things normal guys our age do?" Lucas took another drink, nearly gagging. The taste was starting to wear thin on him. He wasn't a big huge fan of beer to begin with and drinking so many in a row was difficult for him to manage without throwing up.

"Lucas, what the hell is normal anyways? And who decided what it was? We're freaking geniuses, man, and I, for one, don't regret a minute of it. My parents leave me be, and I do what I want. Your trouble is you have too many people breathing down your neck and telling you what to do. Break free, man. Just break free."

Lucas sat still thinking about what it even meant to be free; what it meant to his own person. Did he even know who he was? He was Lawrence Wolenczak's genius son. He was the smart kid who invented the vocoder on SeaQuest. But did he really know who he was? Lucas stood up again, setting the drink down.

"I need to see my dad," replied Lucas, starting to walk towards the door.

Jayson stood up and followed him. "Uh, Lucas, you should wait until morning. You're sporting a pretty good buzz there, and you probably should get some sleep, man." Lucas stopped and looked at Jay. He knew instinctively that his friend was probably right, but the alcohol was making him feel braver. Talking to his dad when he felt brave felt like a wise thing to do. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed for a cab.

"I'm going to see my dad, Jay," repeated Lucas.

 **Turnberry Isle Conference Centre**

Lucas paid the cabbie and stood staring at the entrance to the conference centre. He'd spent the past week on Bridger's Island hacking every computer system imaginable to access where his father was. Lucas had been amazed to find out that he was attending a conference close by. If anyone with even half a brain had realized it, they would have known Lucas would need to confront his father. Lucas walked to the wall beside the entrance and leaned against it. His head was spinning a little from too much alcohol, and he was feeling queasy to his stomach. If truth be told, this was about the most inebriated he'd ever been. Lucas was feeling regretful but also a tad empowered. He knew that the alcohol was making him brave, and he was going to embrace that. He only hoped he wouldn't vomit before he had a chance to confront his father. Gathering up his courage, he entered the conference centre and approached the main desk. Behind the desk sat a pretty, petite brunette who appeared to be in her early twenties. Lucas noticed her name tag read Jessica. She looked up and smiled at him warmly.

"Hello, how may I help you?"

"Would you let Dr. Lawrence Wolenczak know that his son is waiting to speak with him in the lobby?" replied Lucas, returning her smile. The woman nodded and checked her computer briefly.

"It appears that Dr. Wolenczak is currently in a conference at the moment. Would you like to wait for him in the lobby? I'll be glad to inform him of your arrival once he is finished."

Lucas felt his head swim a little, and he leaned on the desk for support. "No, I need to speak with him now. Where is his meeting?"

"Sir, are you alright?" asked Jessica, concern in her voice.

Lucas nodded, licking his lips. "Yes, I'm fine. I just really need to speak with my father. It's urgent." Lucas looked deeply into the woman's eyes with a pleading look. As much as he knew it wasn't as urgent as he was making it out to be, it felt vital to him. He needed to speak with his father before he lost his nerve. The woman stared at him a few minutes and then brought up some information on her computer.

"He's in conference room 12," she replied softly and pointed the way.

Lucas smiled gratefully and stumbled in that direction. He stopped after he went around the corner and leaned against the wall. He was feeling dizzy and nauseated which wasn't a good sign. He leaned forward and rested his hands on his knees to help settle his stomach. After today, he didn't plan to drink alcohol of any kind again. He was beginning to realize how stupid it had been to do it. Lucas stood up again and began walking down the hallway until he stood outside room 12. He put his ear to the door and could vaguely hear his father's voice. Lucas had to admit that the man commanded respect when he spoke. There was no doubt that the man was a brilliant scientist. Part of Lucas was proud of that fact. Opening the door as quietly as possible, he managed to slip in the room unnoticed. Lucas looked around the room to see a handful of people in attendance other than his father. All their backs were to him, and his father was close to finishing up his speech. It was the same dream his father always spoke about: one world power, turning the entire world's power on for free, forever. It was his father's passion, and he was willing to sacrifice everything for what he saw as the greater good.

"…and just imagine the day, gentlemen, when we can flip that switch and the whole world is powered by our technology. It will be a historical day to remember, and it's well within our reach." As the final words echoed throughout the room, the men in attendance broke into applause and rose to their feet in appreciation. Lucas could see the look of pleasure and satisfaction on his father's face. This conference was likely another venture to ascertain financial backing to continue his research. Lucas was surprised to feel tears brim his eyes when he saw his father. As much as he was angry, he really missed his dad.

Lucas stayed quiet and in the background as he watched his father make idle small talk with the men. In time they all left, and his father remained behind to gather up his notes. Lucas came out of the shadows and approached him silently. He glared at the man, feeling pent up anger deep within him. Seconds later, his father looked up and a look of shock flooded his face.

"Lucas? Son? How did…where did…hello," stammered his father, walking towards him not being able to hide the surprise on his face.

Lucas continued glaring at him. His stomach was feeling more and more nauseated. He leaned against the conference table silently. He could see that his glare was making his father uncomfortable. His father walked closer until he was standing in front of him. He squinted at him. "Lucas, are you drunk?"

Lucas laughed petulantly. "I had a few drinks. What of it? I thought it would make it easier to confront you."

His father furrowed a brow. "Confront me?"

"Yes, confront you. That way if I call you a self-centred bastard, I can blame it on the booze talking."

His father put his hand up, shock on his face. "Watch your mouth, Lucas. I am your father!" Lucas could hear the stern tone in his father's voice, but he wasn't nearly finished yet.

"Father," scoffed Lucas, feeling hot tears brim his eyes. He blinked them back fiercely. There was no way in hell he was going to give his father the satisfaction of seeing him cry. "You haven't ever been a father to me. Everything is more important to you than me. You seem to think your projects are for the greater good and sacrifices are to be expected. Mom and I are just two of your sacrifices."

"Your mother put you up to this? Is that it?"

"No one put me up to anything!" shot back Lucas, feeling his stomach churning.

"Why aren't you on SeaQuest with Captain Bridger? The UEO is…"

"Shut the hell up. It's my turn to talk," shouted Lucas, feeling the rage burn within him.

"Lucas, don't talk to me like that!" demanded his father, raising his voice. Lucas could tell his father was losing patience with him and had grown angry as well.

Lucas took a deep breath and sucked in his lip. "Why did you give me away like yesterday's trash, huh? Captain Bridger told me about the guardianship papers. Do you hate me that much?" Lucas heard his father suck in a breath and pause as he stared at him. A whole gambit of emotions crossed the man's face and had Lucas been sober, he might have even seen a look of regret. Instead all Lucas saw was annoyance and irritation. He watched as his father pulled his cell phone from his pocket and dialed it. Lucas glared at him waiting for some kind of answer that would satisfy him, an answer that would make sense to him, but his father said nothing to him. Lucas pulled out a chair and sat down, feeling dizzy. He put his head in his hands and groaned as his head began to pound excruciatingly. For a moment, he felt the room fade out, and he missed the words he heard his father speaking. Several moments later, words began to register to him once again.

"I don't hate you, Lucas. I'm a busy man; you know that and things are best this way," explained his father, placing a warm hand on his shoulder. Lucas brushed it off and rose to his feet, anger taking over again.

"Best for who? You already stuck me on a freaking submarine out in the middle of the ocean. You never call. Do you have any idea what I've been through the past few weeks? Did you know I was kidnaped by some psychopath?"

"I'm a very busy man, Lucas…"

Lucas shook his head with a cynical laugh. "Busy, yah, whatever." His eyes shot daggers at his father. "I hate you!"

SMACK!

Lucas' eyes widened, and he put a hand to his cheek when he realised his father had slapped him across the face. Lucas blinked a few times to keep the tears from falling. His father had never hit him before, and he didn't know how to react. He felt himself sober up quite a bit from the force of the blow. He squint an eye at his father hoping to see some kind of remorse for the action, but he only saw anger.

"Regardless what your teenage mind may think, the world doesn't revolve around you, Lucas Wolenczak. In case you haven't noticed, this world we live in is in chaos, on the verge of destruction. The work I do is vitally important whether you think so or not. I don't have time for your childishness. I put you on SeaQuest for noble reasons whether you choose to believe that or not. I don't have to explain them to you. One day you will understand that I did it because I love you. Until then just suck it up and do as you're told." Lucas stood with his mouth open, dumbfounded. He didn't even know what to say in response. "I just called Bridger, and he's on his way to get you now. I hope to God he's the man I think he is, and he puts you in your place. I've obviously failed in disciplining you. Hopefully he will do a better job than me." Lucas put his head down on the table in defeat. He had sobered up considerably and lost his courage to say much else.

Raising his head up from the table, Lucas spoke again with pleading in his voice. "Dad, just help me understand, please." This time tears did fall down his cheeks, and Lucas felt a rush of humiliation. He watched as his father knelt to his level, looking intently in his eyes.

"Captain Bridger is a good man, Lucas. Just trust me that I know what's best for you, okay?" Lucas felt his father put a hand on his shoulder once again. "I can't be the father that you need right now, but Bridger can. Who you are and what you are and where you are makes you a smart observer, son. Instead of fighting it, learn from it. Embrace your surroundings, Lucas. Be the man I need you to be." Lucas blinked a few times and leaned into his father. He so desperately wanted to be loved by his father and not feel so abandoned. He felt his father's arms embrace him and allowed himself to melt into the hug. "I do love you, Lucas. Please believe that."

"I love you too, dad," mumbled Lucas, feeling his throat tighten as he choked back a sob. He felt his father hold him tightly for several moments and then release him. He looked into his dad's eyes and tried to search for more understanding but saw nothing.

"You stay here and wait for Bridger. I have to fly out in a few hours…"

Lucas felt himself protest. "But, you're supposed to give a lecture tomorrow."

His father rose to his feet. "Duty dictates that I return to something far greater than a conference. That's my life. I have my duties to fulfill, and you have yours. Be the man I expect you to be, Lucas." Lucas watched as his father grabbed his notes and strode to the exit door. "Good-bye, son. I'll try to call you a little more often." With those final words, his father left the room leaving Lucas alone with his thoughts.

 **Conference Room 12, Turnberry Isle Conference Centre**

Nathan strode down the hallway, fingering his keys in his pocket. He'd been surprised when Lawrence Wolenczak had called him telling him Lucas was with him. Nathan hadn't known the man was in the area. Part of Nathan was angry that the man hadn't told Lucas, but another part of him knew that Dr. Wolenczak wouldn't have known that Lucas was so close. This was the first shore leave that Nathan hadn't contacted him to inform him of Lucas' whereabouts. The new guardianship agreement gave Nathan the right to make decisions without parent permissions. Nathan was relieved for the freedom, but his heart pinched knowing that Lucas had sought out his father anyways. Nathan knew Lucas was one hell of a hacker. God knew how often Nathan had had the kid break laws and hack into computers for him. There wasn't a computer system yet that Lucas couldn't hack into. As Nathan approached room 12, he thought about how he was going to handle the kid. The stern military side of Nathan wanted to come down hard and lay down the law. The more compassionate side of him understood Lucas' need to confront his father on his own. He just wished that the teenager would trust him more and lean on him for strength instead of trying to do everything on his own. It was so engrained into Lucas to do everything on his own. Nathan wanted to change that. The teen still had a few more years left to be a kid, and Nathan intended to make those years count. Childhood was already short enough, and Lucas hadn't had much time to be a kid.

Nathan stood in the doorway looking at Lucas. His head was on the table, and it appeared like he might be sleeping. Nathan walked into the room quietly and approached the boy. Sure enough his eyes were closed, a sombre look on his face. Nathan frowned when he saw what looked like a red handprint on the teen's cheek. Obviously his father had felt the necessity to strike him. Nathan sucked in his breath at the sight. While he understood the desire of a parent to discipline a child, he didn't think Wolenczak earned that right. Lucas deserved better than that. Nathan put a hand on Lucas' shoulder and gently shook the boy. He smiled when he saw Lucas' eyes flutter and open to see him.

"Hey, kiddo."

Lucas sat up and groaned. Nathan could smell the beer radiating off the teenager confirming his earlier suspicions when they'd chatted on the phone. He couldn't help but frown at the teenager who meekly looked up at him.

"Feeling a little drunk, are we?" Nathan saw Lucas nod and drop his chin to the floor. He pulled out a chair and sat down across from the kid. Nathan noticed Lucas squirm uncomfortably under his scrutiny.

"I'm sorry, Captain," muttered Lucas softly.

Nathan nodded slightly and reached out to pat Lucas' knee. "Why'd your dad hit you?" Nathan saw Lucas look up at him in surprise and then put a hand to his cheek.

"I called him a bastard and said I hated him," answered Lucas, quietly. "I deserved it."

Nathan shook his head. "No, you didn't. Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with a parent using corporal punishment on occasion when warranted; you know for a kid who takes off without telling anyone, steals a Stinger, gets inebriated, and hangs up on his Captain," Nathan looked sternly at Lucas who swallowed hard. "But you didn't deserve a slap in the face for telling him how you feel. Although, I have a feeling you could've used a little more tact. However, I imagine you let the beer do the talking for you." Nathan saw Lucas nod as he chewed on his lip. He felt his heart go out to the kid. Lucas looked crestfallen and lost sitting there. It made Nathan so angry when he thought of Lucas' parents. The kid didn't deserve any of this. He was a decent kid, and Nathan intended to make life better for him.

"Had he known what you've been through with Wise, I'm sure he wouldn't have been so fast to slap you. I'm sorry it happened, Lucas."

Lucas shrugged and sighed. "He's never going to change, sir. Everything else is more important to him. He said he thinks you're a better man to be a father to me than him." Nathan heard Lucas choke back a sob and pause briefly. "He said he stuck me on SeaQuest because he loves me, and one day I will understand. I'm not sure I ever will." Nathan looked down at the table a moment and then looked intently into Lucas' tear-filled blue eyes.

"I believe your father loves you in his own way, Lucas. You should believe it as well. I can't pretend to understand why he put you on SeaQuest. Whatever the reason, I'm damned glad he did. I love you, Lucas, and God knows you've added more to my life than I ever thought possible. You are one hell of an amazing kid! You've given me a chance to be a dad again, and I can't thank you enough for that gift." Nathan felt tears come to his own eyes as he rose to his feet and pulled Lucas to his feet. The boy fell into his arms with a sob. Nathan embraced him tightly and put a hand on the back of his blonde hair.

"I love you too," came the muffled reply. The words made Nathan smile ear to ear. He stood still holding the kid, lost in his thoughts. Several moments later, he felt Lucas squirm and pull away. Nathan looked at the kid as he stood wiping his face with his sleeves. "You mad?" Nathan tried to look stern but was unable to maintain it for very long before breaking into a smile.

"No, kiddo, I'm not mad," sighed Nathan as he reached out and ruffled the kid's hair. "I will say that you worried me half to death taking off like that."

Lucas looked up sheepishly. "I'm sorry, Captain. When I found out he was so close, I had to talk to him. I needed to do it on my own. You understand that, don't you?"

"Yes, I guess I do." Nathan put his hands into his pockets as he pondered his thoughts for several moments. "But, Lucas, please hear me on this, ok? You aren't alone anymore. You have me to lean on. Hell, you've got Kristin, Ben and everyone else on SeaQuest to lean on. Stop doing everything on your own! Got it?" Nathan looked for some kind of understanding in Lucas' face, but the boy's face remained sullen. "Lucas?" Nathan pulled the boy's chin up until he had eye contact. "Do you hear me?" A slow lop-sided smile formed on the boy's face as he nodded. Nathan could tell Lucas was still warming up to the idea of him being his guardian. Nathan also expected that the teenager would test him somewhat. Lucas was used to being on his own and taking care of himself. He wasn't going to believe very easily that Nathan was going to stick around come what may, but Nathan planned to prove it to him as best as he could. Nathan put an arm around Lucas' shoulder as they began walking from the room.

"Are you ever going to name that orange beast of yours?" Nathan felt the boy shrug his shoulders under his arm.

"Uh, yah, eventually," replied Lucas, a small grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"How does Pipsqueak sound?"

"Uh, no," replied Lucas, making a face at the name suggestion.

Nathan glanced sideways at the teenager and then they both laughed. "C'mon, kiddo, let's go home."

Nathan felt the boy relax under his arm, and the two of them walked out of the conference centre together.


End file.
